


Shelter me

by CharminglyyEvil



Category: The 100
Genre: Abby Griffin - Marcus Kane - Freeform, Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Kabby, The 100 - Freeform, because why not, sex in the cave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 04:18:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5897941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharminglyyEvil/pseuds/CharminglyyEvil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abby took the bottle back, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "I think the question is, how much did you give me? I'm starting to wonder if you're trying to take advantage of me". During a storm, Abby and Kane find shelter in a cave. A bottle of moonshine later and Kane finds himself fighting off a drunk chancellor and her seductive charms. Sequel to 'Lean on me'. Kabby Really just an excuse for Kabby cave sex. Explicit (just in case)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Shelter me**

**…**

 

The moonlight hung in the shadowy night sky, casting silver slithers of light onto the campsite and bathing the former Chancellor in a misty glow.

 

Marcus Kane shook his head incredulously. He was sure that he was being ridiculous, walking out and about from his tent this late at night. Since Sinclair had told them that the Grounders had Clark and Lexa had asked them to come and meet her, he, Abby, Raven, a large group of guards and Octavia and Lincoln had packed immediately and, guided by Indra, began their journey to _Polis,_ the Grounders Capitol. They had sat up camp here for the night and would be there by tomorrow morning.

 

But during the middle of the night, Marcus swore that he had heard the rustle and a zip of the tent. It was dangerous for anyone to be wondering around at this time of night, especially with the threat of the Ice Nation looming about. So Marcus had followed the noise. But now he was wondering if he had imagined it all.

 

Marcus sighed as he passed Jasper, who was passed out near the dead fire pit. Marcus shined his torchlight on Jasper and saw the bottle of moonshine still in his hand. Shaking his head he picked up the bottle and pocketed it. He’d really need to get on top of Jasper’s drinking problems; he knew how badly it was affecting him when he was on the job. Still, Marcus could empathise with the boy and his broken heart.

 

Just when he was about to give up and return back to his tent he heard another rustle, followed by the crunching sound of boots stepping on crisp leaves. His torch followed the source of the noise, landing on Abby Griffin.

 

Abby winced, shielding her eyes from the light.

 

“ _Abby?”_

“Marcus, put that thing down before you blind someone”.

 

Marcus blinked and quickly shined the torch down. “What are you doing out here?”

 

He approached her, noticing the discomfort passing her features.

 

Finally Abby said simply, “I couldn’t sleep”.

 

Kane guessed that he shouldn’t be too surprised. Most people were still struggling through their nightmares since the Mt Weather incident. But Abby had never ventured out late at night before…then it dawned on him.

 

“Clark?”

 

Abby grazed her lower lip. “I haven’t seen my daughter in three months, and suddenly we’ll be seeing her tomorrow morning. Lexa didn’t even tell us why Clark is there and not with us”. Abby met his gaze, fear softening her eyes. “Marcus, what if she doesn’t want to come home?”

 

Marcus was surprised at her choice of words. _Home._ But it made sense. Camp Jaha was home to them all.

 

“What if she left with the intention of never returning?” Abby pressed on.

 

Marcus shook his head firmly, rejecting her answer. “No. Clark’s an independent girl, yes. But her friends and family are here. She wouldn’t leave everyone like that”.

 

But Abby just shook her head, her eyes drifting to the side. “I had thought so too, but now…sometimes I feel like I don’t even know her anymore”.

 

“She’ll come around Abby. She just needed time. I’m sure Lexa has her reasons for not wanting Clark to return back to us. Perhaps Lexa thought that she was safer with her people”.

 

Abby nodded, trying to find comfort and reassurance in his words. “Perhaps”.

 

Marcus shined the torch on the paper she was holding. “What’s that?”

 

Abby turned the page over and revealed a sketch of a yellow, feathery shaped leaf with red patches, that couldn’t be smaller than the palm of his hand. “A sketch of the herb _Rursas_ , Lincoln lent it to me. It’s supposed to help with rashes and severe itching. We’re running out of ointment and creams to treat the bug bites people have been getting here, but the sap in the leaves should be able to heal the itching”.

 

Kane’s eyes rounded. “And you thought that you would venture out into the camp for these leaves in the middle of the night? With no weapon or guard and an army of Ice people roaming the forest for Clark? What were you thinking?”

 

Abby repressed an exasperated huff, folding her arms. “Well if my safety concerns you so much, feel free to join me”.

 

Marcus briefly considered her proposal. He could tell from her determined eyes and unmoving stance that she would not listen to him and return back to her tent. He repressed a sigh and nodded, following her out the camp.

 

…

 

The two walked together, finding comfort in the silence. Although the temperature had fallen and it had begun to rain lightly, Abby still seemed determine to track down those leaves. So Marcus had followed. He wasn’t too surprised at her stubborn determination. Absorbing herself in her work-whether that be by tending to patients, going through numerous paperwork or even hunting down crucial supplies-was what Abby did best when she was keeping her mind off other unwanted thoughts.

 

And ninety-nine percent of those thoughts always concerned her daughter.

 

Kane and Abby’s torchlights guided them through the woods until they came across a creek surrounded by sloping smooth and jagged rocks, and a gushing waterfall. The water seemed to shimmer seductively in the moonlight, as if trying to invite them in.

 

Abby shivered against the chilly breeze. They had to be quick. “Lincoln said that they grow amongst the red bushes in the water”.

 

Kane frowned as he approached the water, shining his torch over the creek. “Is that it over there?”

 

He shed his light onto a crowd of bushes near the rocks on the other side of the creek.

 

Abby followed his eyes. “That must be it”.

 

The two walked around the creek and towards the rocks.

 

“Here,” Abby pocketed the paper and gave Marcus her torch. “I’m going to retrieve the leaves. Shine the torch on me”.

 

Kane frowned as he examined the path of sharp and potentially slipper rocks that Abby planned on climbing over to get to them. “I feel like this would be safer if we waited until the morning. You could cut yourself on those rocks, or fall in”.

 

But Abby shook her head with the same persistence she often did when she had made her mind up. “We won’t be coming back here tomorrow. Tomorrow morning we’ll be finding my daughter. I need to get those leaves now”.

 

Kane repressed a small sigh but nodded, shining the torch her way. “Be careful Abby”.

 

The Chancellor climbed onto the first rock, and stepped onto a flat one next. She searched for the nearest flat rock, stepping onto that one. She wobbled slightly as she stepped again, but still managed to maintain her balance. She continued to do so, eyeing the red bushes waving at her through the wind in the creek. _She needed those leaves._

Abby finally made it to the last rock, the bushes just a few feet away.

 

“Can you cast the light further down?”

 

The light drifted forward, revealing a crowd of tangled green vines blossoming with red and yellow Rursas leaves. A bunch of leaves floated in the creek, poking their pointed tops just above the water, as if beckoning her to get closer.

 

Abby knelt down onto the rock, steadying a hand on the wet stone. She leaned forward, her free hand grasping for the leaves, fingers stretched out like a beggar reaching for food. She was too far away. Abby shuffled forward. _She was almost there._ Abby let out a huff as she shuffled a little more, her knees just hanging over the rock. She vaguely heard Kane calling for her to be careful. But his words tuned out to the wind.

 

The rational voice in the back of her head told her that this was risky, _dangerous_. But the thought was tumbling with her other cyclone of ignored thoughts; her desperation to hold her daughter again, her anxiety over her friendship with Kane, her fears over the looming threats of the Ice Nation and the other untold dangers of earth that would come to destroy the peace she had desperately tried to maintain in Camp Jaha. And as always, Abby desperately pushed all of her unwanted thoughts away by focusing on the task at hand, _reaching for the god damn leaf,_ and the rational thought died as she did so.

_If she stretched her fingers just a little more…_

_SPLASH!_

She submerged head first into the creek, ice-cold water consuming her. Abby re-surfaced, coughing and spluttering as a gush of wind hit her. She saw Kane racing over, horror shadowing his eyes.

 

“Abby!”

 

Abby’s teeth chattered as she watched Kane try to make his way across the rocky path towards her. She shivered as another gust of wind caressed her skin.

 

Kane finally reached her, offering her his hand and helping her out of the water. He patted his hands on her arms and down her sides, concern consuming his eyes. “Abby, you’re freezing”.

 

_Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all._ Although she would never admit that to Kane. Abby glanced at the leaves, cursing under her breath. She had forgotten to collect them. Kane followed her gaze.

 

“We can’t collect them now, we need to get you back to camp before you catch hypothermia”. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

 

Abby nodded, her teeth chattering. A crack of thunder clapped in the air. It was only then did Abby notice just how wet and cold Kane was, despite not having fallen in. It was pelting down with rain, and she was too cold to notice. Quickly the two collected their torches and hurried away from the creek. But no sooner had they stepped back into the forest did they hear distant voices in a foreign tongue.

 

The two immediately switched off their torches and crouched down behind a large tree trunk. “W-what is that?” Abby whispered through chattering teeth.

 

Kane simply shushed her, peering out from behind their trees. Through the faint moonlight he made them out. _Ice People._ A large group of them were afar, but trudging this way.

 

“Quick,” Kane whispered to her, standing up. “We need to go”.

 

Abby nodded, folding her arms around her as the howling wind crashed through her. “I s-saw a c-cave back at the c-c-creek”.

 

Hurrying in quick but quiet steps, Kane followed Abby past the creek and to the cave. Abby slipped inside and Kane followed. The storm unfolded from outside.

 

Marcus shined his torch onto Abby, examining her. He ran his free hand down her numb cheeks and arms.

 

“Abby, your lips. They’re turning blue”.

 

Abby gently pushed Marcus away and quickly began to strip out of her drenched clothes and shoes. Even in this situation, Marcus turned away modestly. He too shed his jacket and shirt, tossing them to Abby.

 

“Here, put these on”.

 

Abby gave him a grateful smile as she slipped his shirt and jacket on.

 

“I need b-body heat,” Abby whispered, rubbing her arms.

 

Marcus nodded and, placing the torches onto the ground and enveloping her in his arms. The two sank down onto the floor, Abby sitting between his knees with her arms hugging her legs, letting him rub his hands up and down her arms and down the side of her legs. It was an intimate position, and Abby felt a little awkward. Especially since the two seemed to silently agree to never speak of their ‘affair’ at the sick bay just days ago. It wasn’t like they had purposefully ignored the subject, but too much had come up since then that the two didn’t have time to address it, and now it seemed too long ago for them to speak about. Nonetheless, Abby felt that Marcus didn’t sense the awkwardness, only wanting to warm her up and avoid her catching hypothermia.

 

Gradually, Marcus felt a tinge of heat return to her skin. Her lips weren’t blue anymore and she wasn’t shivering uncontrollably, but her skin was still freezing.

 

“Don’t say it Marcus,” Abby said sternly.

 

Marcus’s lips twitched into a hint of a smile. “Say what exactly?”

 

Abby turned her head to face him, casting him an irritated look.

 

But Marcus couldn’t help himself. “Say that I was right and you shouldn’t have recklessly climbed those rocks?”

 

Abby punched him in the shoulder. And Marcus tightened his arms around her waist.

 

Abby stared off into the mouth of the cave, noticing what looked like shards of glass shoot down from the sky. She tilted her head towards it.

 

“What is that?”

 

Marcus followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing. “Hail. I remember reading about it”.

 

Abby nodded, recalling the word in the depths of her mind. “Yes. Hail. Chunks of ice…solid precipitation formed from upward draft storms”.

 

She let her head fall back against Marcus, realising that they wouldn’t be leaving their cave any time soon.

 

“Abby, there’s a bottle in my jacket pocket. Drink it. It may help to warm you up”.

 

Abby retrieved the bottle and opened the lid, scrunching her nose at the pungent stench. “Monty’s moonshine?”

 

Kane’s grim face confirmed her fears.

 

Abby tilted the bottle into the air. “Bottom’s up”. Her face scrunched up in disgust after a few gulps. “It tastes like bleach”.

 

Kane repressed a small chuckle from behind. He touched her cheeks with the back of his hand, feeling a small flush. At least the alcohol was working.

 

The two sat in silence as Abby gulped down the disgusting concoction. Perhaps it was because the alcohol was helping to warm her up, or because tonight’s events were so completely and utterly absurd that Abby needed the alcohol to help her deal with it all.

 

Abby freed herself form Kane’s embrace when she felt warmer, and shuffled back to sit next to him, leaning her head against the wall. She swallowed down another nasty gulp. She looked up at him, but his eyes were staring out into the hail. She noticed the lines on his forehead and his hardened features. She gave him a small nudge with her elbow and felt him tense.

 

“What’s on your mind?”

 

“Our people. Our future on the earth…the Grounders”. Kane frowned, more lines creasing his features. “It seems that the others have forgotten just how quickly the Grounders moved to betray us in Mt Whether. Our alliance has been tested too many times, and yet we’ll be marching into their territory tomorrow morning. We can’t be sure what they have planned or what their intentions are, or how long they plan to honor this truce,” Marcus turned to her. “How can we trust them Abby?”

 

Abby frowned as she contemplated his words. “We can’t. But Clark does. She did from the start, and she was right to. We’re stronger with them. The alternative is war, and we can’t put our people through another war”.

 

_Our people._ It sounded foreign to him, and maybe a little odd. Especially since Clark was the one that had led them through the war, sought out the alliance and saved them all. But they were their people, especially since Clark disappeared. The people looked to Kane to protect them and secure their borders, and to Abby for leadership, they looked to Abby to maintain stability, organise their food rations and ensure that they were healthy.

 

Finally Kane replied, “No. We can’t”.

 

The two sat their in silence for a while, watching the storm intensify. After some time and almost the entire bottle of moonshine later, Abby rested her head against Marcus’s shoulders, her eyes fluttering. The bottle felt considerably lighter…she felt considerably lighter, and a little heavier at the same time. And a little dizzy if she was being honest. Abby took another swing and snuggled deeper into his side, enjoying his warmth.

 

Marcus reached for the bottle, a small chuckle bubbling in his chest. “How much did you drink?”

 

Abby took the bottle back. “I think the question is, how much did you give me,” Abby asked, a playful smile dancing on her lips. “I’m starting to wonder if you’re trying to take advantage of me”.

 

Marcus lifted his eyebrows, an amused smile tracing his lips as he stared at the tipsy woman. “You’ve caught me Abby. I took the bottle with me tonight to seduce you. Is it working?”

 

Abby ran her fingers down his shoulder, tilting her head to the side. “Maybe a little”.

 

Marcus tensed beneath her hand.

 

“Alright, I think you’ve had enough,” Marcus said, reaching for the bottle.

 

Abby pulled it away. “Why? If I recall, you didn’t seem so unwilling yesterday”.

 

Shock bloomed in his eyes as he stared at her. She was clearly intoxicated. But even so, he had never imagined her to be so… _forward_ with her sexual advances. Perhaps he had never truly seen her this drunk before.

 

Abby was half shocked at herself too if she was being honest. But alcohol was clouding her mind and her judgment, turning all rational thoughts to mush. Instead, all she could think about was how she had never noticed Marcus Kane before. His intense, coco coloured eyes. His walnut and salt and pepper coloured hair that she suddenly felt the urge to run her fingers through. His sculpted chest. His sloping jawline, which she wanted to kiss and suck right down to his Adam’s apple.

 

“Abby?”

 

But Abby was already getting to her knees, holding onto his shoulders to steady herself.

 

“Abby, you’re drunk,” Kane said gently. “And trust me when I say that you will regret this in the morning”.

 

Abby tilted her head to the side, staring at him intently. “Do you regret it?”

 

“Regret what?”

 

“Us… our affair yesterday”.

 

“No”.

 

Then Abby was running her hands up his chest and straddling his waist, thinking nothing and feeling nothing but the sudden and burning desire to have him. Perhaps it was because Abby hadn’t felt more _right_ or _sane_ in years than when she was melting into his embrace just yesterday. And perhaps she wanted to feel that again.

 

“Abby”. He said her name a little more sternly this time, reaching for her hands. “You were sober yesterday and I…was caught in a moment”.

 

Abby’s eyes flared. “A moment you initiated, but with little intention of following through it would seem”.

 

Marcus fought the urge to shake his head. “Abby, I’m not going to take advantage of you-“

 

“Then don’t,” Abby cut him off, a flicker of fire in her eyes. “I may be drunk Marcus, but I know what I’m doing”.

 

“Abby…”  


His mind was running out of excuses. Marcus tried to collect his thoughts and firmly say no. Help her up perhaps. He was sure that the hail had stopped and maybe they could return soon. But all he could think about was her bare legs wrapping around his waist and he felt his resolve crumbling.

 

Abby’s hands slipped from his grip and up his shoulders. She leaned in, her breath caressing his jaw. “Besides Kane, the sex could warm us both up”.

 

Then Abby was pressing her lips to his. She felt him tense underneath her, and his hands moved up her hands to stop her. She felt him protest beneath her lips, so she pulled his hands away from her wrists and to her waist, trying to deepen the kiss. Slowly, she felt his resolve crumble beneath her. She giggled into his kiss as she felt his lips moving with hers with equal hunger.

 

Marcus’s hand curled behind the back of her neck, the other slowly squeezing her waist as it sculpted its way up her sides and threaded through her cascade of curls.

He felt her moan into his mouth as his lips tore through hers, his tongue slipping inside and intertwining and dancing with hers. She tasted like spice and moonshine laced with mint, and Marcus found himself leaning further into her touch, drinking in more of her kisses. His teeth rolled over her lower lip, bruising her lips.

 

Abby’s lips left his, tracing down the slope of his jaw, kissing and sucking their way down to his Adam’s apple and the hollow of his neck.

 

“Marcus”, her breath caressed his ear, her fingers drawing patterns down his chest. “ _Now._ Need you now-“

 

Abby gasped when she felt his weight shift underneath her, his hands wrapping around her waist and curving underneath her, encouraging her to wrap her legs tighter around him. Abby did so, a giggle bubbling in her throat as she felt him lowering her to the ground.

 

He straddled her waist, his lips finding hers again. His kisses were more tender this time, yet still passionate, taking her by surprise. His fingers made quick work of her clothes and then her bra as she ghosted her fingers across his neck and tangled them through his air.

 

“Abby,” he breathed into her lips, briefly breaking the kiss.

 

His warm eyes met hers, stirring warmth in her heart. “Beautiful”.

 

Then his lips were everywhere. Peppering a trail of kisses down her neck and ghosting down the valley between her breasts. His fingers explored her body, feeling her arch into his touch as they squeezed and caressed each breast and squirm and shiver as they skimmed down her ribcage.

 

And when his teeth grazed the curve of her ear, Marcus smelt her scent. A blend of forest and creek water and herbs and lemon. It was intoxicating.

 

Abby bit back a moan when his fingers found the fire between her thighs, doing miraculous things to her body. Abby arched her back further into him, her fingers tracking marks down his back.

 

“Kane,” she managed to breathe.

 

But his lips silenced her cries, drinking her in like a drug. He breathed her name out between kisses almost desperately, almost like a prayer. It melted her heart like a dying candle.

 

Abby fumbled with his belt and the rest of their clothes were carelessly tossed aside. She captured his lips in another kiss, entangling her arms around his neck and pulling him down with her.

 

She breathed out his name with more urgency and desperation this time, wanting to kiss the smirk away from his lips. Kane straddled her waist once more, hovering above her. He brushed her curls away from her sweaty face, taking her by surprise. He kissed the corner of her brow, her jaw, the curve of her ear and finally her lips as he sank into her.

 

His name slipped from her lips in a cry as she felt him move within her. Their bodies moved together, finding an equal rhythm. Abby’s eyes fluttered closed, letting the building waves of pleasure and sensations roll through her. She briefly opened her eyes and met his gaze. She felt the familiar warmth bloom in her heart. Abby reached up to his face, brushing away a few fallen curls from his brow. He caught her hand gently and intertwined it with hers, placing it by their side. Abby’s head tilted back as she felt him sending her over the edge, a final cry escaping her lips.

 

Marcus steadied his hands on either side of her, before rolling onto his back and pulling a gasping and giggling Abby on top of him. He laid with his head resting on his arm and her head on his chest, regaining his breath.

 

The two laid in silence for some time; Abby ghosting her fingers down his shoulder blade and tracing lazy patterns along his arm, and Marcus playing with her hair, untangling her curls and brushing her hair away from her eyes.

 

“Marcus,” Abby said softly, lifting her head up.

 

Abby leaned up on her elbows, staring at him with tired eyes. Her lips parted but no words came out, and she struggled to collect her thoughts together. So Abby leaned forward instead, brushing her lips against his cheek. She let her head fall back onto his chest. Marcus ran his hands down her arms, feeling goose bumps form on her skin. He gently nudged her off and retrieved his shirt and jacket, passing them to her.

 

“You can’t get cold now”.

 

Abby nodded as she slipped his clothes on and Marcus slipped into his pants. The two stared out into the cave, the storm still rolling by. So they settled back down again, with Marcus’s head resting on his arm and her head on his chest.

 

As Abby felt the sluggishness from the alcohol fade, she felt her mind race with a million thoughts with what she wanted to say to him. But as she listened to the soft beat of his heart, she felt her eyes fluttering shut, sinking further and further into sleep. Marcus soon followed, the same sense of drowsiness consuming him and dragging him into a deep slumber.

 

…

 

A veil of glittering sunlight slipped into the cave, skimming over the sleeping couple and stirring Abby from her slumber. Abby’s eyes fluttered open, feeling like she had been caught in a tumbling wave and tossed aggressively onto the shore. Her head felt like it was housing a persistent woodpecker. _Oh god…_

Abby leaned up, feeling a warm body underneath her. She looked down, her eyes widening. Marcus was still sleeping. Last night flashed in her mind, the memories tumbling in. Abby shut her eyes and repressed a small groan. She pushed herself off, stumbling for her clothes as she nursed her pounding migraine. The first thing she was doing when she got back to camp was downing down some Panadol.

 

Abby slipped off Marcus’s shirt and jacket and changed into her bra and underwear. Her pants were still damp but had dried considerably. She slipped them on too. As for her shirt…Abby stared at the still very wet and filthy buttoned shirt, which had holes through the sleeves. It looked like some moths had a late night snack last night. Sighing, she slipped Marcus’s shirt back on.

 

“Hey”.

 

Abby whirled around. Marcus was up, stretching and flexing his muscles.

 

“Hey”.

 

Marcus eyed the shirt, the corner of his lips pulling into a small smile. “Suits you better”.

 

Abby smiled, before lowering her eyes. An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

 

“Look, Marcus-“  


“Abby, it’s fine. Last night doesn’t have to change our relationship”.

 

Abby stared at him closely. She noticed that he said ‘have to’, and briefly wondered if he did want more from her. She couldn’t deny that she hadn’t wondered if she wanted more from him too. But the two of them both knew that it was impossible. Not now…not when they were going to meet the Grounders and hopefully retrieve her daughter, not when her daughter had never been in more danger and whispers of a coming war were drifting throughout the land. Not now, when Abby still after all this time, missed Jake.

“It’s not like last night didn’t mean anything,” Abby began, staring at her fingers that were fiddling with the material of his shirt. “But you know nothing can happen between us now”. When she looked up and met his eyes, she knew that he understood. A small smile graced her lips. “I had fun though”.

 

His lips twitched into a hint of a smile. “So did I”. Marcus slowly got up, wincing as he did so. “How’re you feeling?”

 

“Fine. My head hurts like a bitch though”.

 

He repressed a small chuckle at her hangover. Marcus’s eyes drifted outside, walking out of the cave as if being pulled by an invisible force.

 

“Abby, come look”.

 

Abby followed him, wincing at the morning light. _She was never drinking again._ Gradually, she opened her eyes to the morning light. The sight took her breath away.

 

The sun rose up above the peak of the mountain behind bursting colours of red and orange and yellow, the colours dancing in the sky like fire.

 

The two had been so busy since they had arrived on the ground that they had never had the chance to properly enjoy earth’s beauty. And now they saw it all. The creek that glittered in the sunlight as if specks of diamonds were dancing across its waters. The sky that was a gorgeous blue, reminding Abby of the sea. The flutter of birds swooping over the rooftops of trees and across the sky in an arrow like pattern.

 

“It’s beautiful”.

 

Kane nodded, at awe of their surroundings.

 

“Abby, if we want to get back discreetly we should leave now, before anyone wakes up”.

 

Abby nodded. Together the two of them collected their torches and Abby pulled her shoes back on, before departing.

 

Abby had hoped to get back with plenty of time to sneak into her tent unseen and change, but as they were approaching their camp they saw a few people scattered about. It seems that everyone had risen early.

 

“Abby! Kane!”

 

Abby winced. It was Sinclair, and he was rushing towards them now. Sinclair stopped in his tracks, his gaze shifting between Abby’s tousled curls and Kane’ shirt that she was wearing, and Marcus’s disheveled hair.

 

“I can see you two were keeping busy”.

 

Marcus wanted to punch that grin right off his face.

 

“What is it Sinclair?”

 

“Abby!”

 

Octavia came rushing over, her eyes widening when she saw the sight. “Where were you two? Everyone’s been looking for you”.

 

Abby glanced at Kane, but he was absorbed in conversation with Sinclair. So she cleared her throat. “We got caught in a storm last night outside and had to find shelter”.

 

A sly smirk crept on Octavia’s lips. She didn’t even bother to ask them why they were outside. “Well I hope you guys managed to keep warm during the storm”.

 

Abby took a steady breath, trying to ignore the flush rising in her cheeks. “What is it Octavia?”

 

“Someone’s looking for you. She’s saying that she’s having some stomach pains. It’s not severe though so you can…go get changed if you need to first,” Octavia said, her eyes flickering down Marcus’s shirt.

 

Abby pursed her lips together and nodded.

 

“Oh and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Octavia said with a small wink. “Give me a call if you guys need some privacy, Lincoln and I know a few places”.

 

Abby’s jaw dropped as the girl took off. She shook her head incredulously as she made her way back to her tent. She already felt the stares following her back and knew that the rumors would come soon. So much for being discrete.

 

Abby stopped when she saw Monty walk by, holding a bottle in his hand. “Hey!”

 

Monty looked up as Abby stormed over. “Chancellor Griffin-“

 

Abby took the bottle from his hand and twisted the lid off, pouring the contents on the ground.

 

“Hey!”

 

Abby threw the bottle back to him and stormed back to her tent. She changed out of his shirt and back into her own, and quickly braided her hair to the side. Abby hesitated. She picked up Marcus’s shirt and breathed in. Somehow it still smelled like him; like pine trees and dirt. Strangely, it was a little comforting. She tossed it aside. She’d return it later.

 

Abby left the tent and went to attend to her patient.

 

When she returned to her tent his shirt was gone. And in its place were a pile of yellow and red feathery shaped leaves. The note on her blanket melted her heart, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

 

_I went back for these this morning. I didn’t want you to risk falling in again. ~ Marcus._

_…_


	2. Stay with me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I felt like i could have worked on this a bit more/proof read a bit more but i really wanted to get this up before I watch the episode today. This was more of a transition chapter anyway to transition onto the next chapters and kind of move the plot forward. SO Sorry if it's not as good as the past chapters, but i promise that the next one will be 10x better! Thanks for reading and enjoy! Please let me know your thoughts as well xo

**Stay with me**

 ...

Abby didn’t even flinch when Marcus swung her bedroom door open. As usual she was at her desk, hunched over her paperwork. Everyone had left for bed hours ago, but it wasn’t uncommon for the Chancellor to still be up working until the early morning. Still, Marcus had hoped that she would be resting by now. It had been a long day for them all.

 

Their meeting in Polis hadn’t exactly been a cheerful one. Although the two had been successful in pardoning Lincoln and securing an alliance (and even open trade) with the Grounders, Lexa hadn’t been pleased when she found out about their journeys to Mt Weather. Abby had explained their urgency in needing to hunt down supplies, and Nyko even vouched for them when he explained that the journey was needed to bring him back to full health. However, Lexa had explained their issue.

 

_“You were spotted”._

_“By other Grounders?” Kane had asked._

_Lexa nodded, a hint of rage in her usual composed features. “By people from the Ice Nation. Already my scouts are reporting the whispers throughout the woods. Do you have any idea what you have done by walking into that murder mountain?”_

_Abby had taken a steady breath. “We needed supplies for my people to survive. They have technology there, which can help your people too. You saw Nyko-“_

_“Yes,” Lexa interrupted. “Nyko’s recovery was impressive. But that does not change the fact that your actions have incited anger across the other clans. Your actions are seen as ones of war”._

_Her words crashed onto Abby, sinking dread into her heart. It was Marcus who spoke next,_

_“That was never what we intended. Abby just-_ we _just wanted to save our people”._

_Lexa paused for a moment, her eyes peering into his. “None of us ever intend to start war, but it happens anyway”._

_Silence lingered in the air, before Abby suddenly stepped forward, her eyes almost pleading with the Commander’s._

_“My daughter, you sent word that she was here. Please, I need to see her”._

_Lexa stared at the Chancellor for a while, before nodding her head towards one of her men._

_The doors swung open and Clark had stumbled in, a Grounder’s iron grip on her arm. Abby’s face had shattered when she saw her daughter. Her blood-red hair that draped around her face. Her bruised, raccoon eyes that told of the countless sleepless nights she had had. The cuts and scars and filth down her arms and legs. She was almost unrecognizable._

_Abby had rushed towards her daughter, enveloping her in her arms. “Clark,” she had whispered. Clark had returned her mother’s embrace tightly, a few tears spilling onto the woman. Abby pulled back, immediately examining her daughter with concerned eyes. “What the hell happened to you?”_

_“Mom, I’m fine”._

_Abby had turned back to Lexa, her eyes hardening into a glare. “She’s coming back with me”._

_“That cannot happen”._

_Storm raged in the Chancellor’s eyes. “She is my daughter-“_

 

_“Mum,” Clark had placed a reassuring hand on her mother’s shoulder._

 

_Marcus remembered the way Abby’s face had lit like a hurricane about to explode and sweep them all out of the room. Marcus had tried to calm Abby down whilst pleading with Lexa. But the woman had insisted that Clark was safer with them. With much bitterness, Clark had agreed. The Ice nation were watching them, waiting for Wanheda to return back to her home with the Sky People. But according to Lexa, they would never expect Clark to be with the Grounders, especially since the news of Lexa’s betrayal of the sky people had spread._

_Even though Marcus had argued passionately that they had weapons and guards that could protect her just as well, he secretly knew that Lexa was right. Besides, Clark had insisted that she didn’t want to put any of them in danger, and that this could be another way to strengthen their alliance, to bring both groups together. In return, Lexa had sent Indra back with Abby and Marcus to help secure their alliance._

_Ultimately, the truth was clear; Clark didn’t want to go back. Like always, she didn’t want to risk the lives of her friends and family, and was doing all that she could to protect everyone._

 

“Abby?”

 

Abby finally looked up form her work, dark rings surrounding her eyes. “Marcus? What’re you doing here?”

 

“I was on night duty and came to check on you,” he replied, walking into her room and examining her work. “Abby, it’s midnight. You should be sleeping”.

 

But Abby just shook her head stubbornly. “I can’t sleep now. You heard what Lexa said. War could be coming-“

 

“And we had a two hour long meeting discussing our next plan of action. We spoke to Indra who is helping to train our people and get us more familiar with who the Ice Nation is and what their military strategy is. What else can you do now?”

 

Abby repressed a small yawn and shook her head again with growing persistence. “I’m running over our weaponry inventory. Raven mentioned that she could possibly make some more bullets and bombs if we need to strengthen our defense. And now that we can’t journey back up to Mt Weather to retrieve more food, we’re going to need to increase the number of farmers if we’re going to avoid a shortage-“

 

“Abby”. Kane turned Abby’s chair around so she was facing him, bending down to check on her. He tried to take her hands. “Abby, you can’t do this now. You’re exhausted. You need to rest”.

 

But Abby swatted his hand away stubbornly. “I’m fine Marcus. I’ll just be another hour, I need to-“

 

“Abby, this needs to stop! You can’t work to your full potential when you’re this tired-“

 

“And I can’t sleep when my daughter’s not here!”

 

Marcus’s features softened as the realisation dawned on him. “Abby…”

 

Abby took in a sharp breath, closing her eyes. “Please Marcus,” she wiped a tear away furiously, trying to maintain control. “Just leave me to my work”.

 

But Marcus didn’t move. Instead he placed his hand on her desk, trying to meet her eyes. “Abby, I’m sorry that Clark’s not here, but-“

 

“You promised Marcus”. Abby dropped her pen, twisting her chair around to face him straight in the face. “You promised me that we wouldn’t leave until we had Clark. _You promised!”_

Volcanic hatred fired from her eyes, scorching his heart. “Abby, I-“ Marcus stopped, the words dying in his throat.

 

Abby furiously tried to blink back her tears that were now spilling from her eyes. She felt a hesitant hand touch her shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry Abby”.

 

Abby closed her eyes. God dammit she wanted to be angry with him. And she tried to hold onto that rage, to remind herself of why she was so pissed off at him in the first place. But when she felt his soft touch on her arm, her fury diminish like a bucket of water tossed on a raging fire.

 

So instead she stood up, wiping away her tears. “Look, I’m sorry Marcus, I shouldn’t have snapped like that. I just….I really thought Clark would be coming back, and I know what Lexa said – but I had been hoping for so long since Indra gave us the news –“ Abby stopped, her voice catching in her throat. She felt the tears building up inside her all over again. She took a steady breath, trying to compose herself once more.

 

And then she felt Marcus’s arms wrap around her, silencing her cries. Abby tensed at first, before she felt herself melt into his embrace.

 

“I’m sorry I broke your promise Abby,” he whispered into her hair. “But Clark is safe. We know where she is now, and she is safe. That’s all that matters”.

 

Marcus released her from his embrace. Abby wiped away the last of her tears, nodding. “You’re right,” she whispered. “Even Clark knows it’s best”.

 

Marcus nodded. “And she doesn’t want to put any of us at risk from the other Grounders who are looking for her. She’s trying to protect us,” Marcus paused, his eyes lingering on Abby. “She gets that from her mother”.

 

Abby tilted her head to the side as she met her eyes. Her lips softened into a small smile. “She does, doesn’t she?” Abby repressed another yawn, almost swaying on the spot with exhaustion.

 

“Okay, now we really need to get you to bed,” Marcus said, his hand catching her arm. “Come on”.

 

He led her over to her bed and Abby finally obliged, a smile spreading over her face as she sank into her bed. Marcus smiled; relieved that she was finally in. he turned to leave when a hand caught his wrist.

 

“Marcus, could you maybe…stay with me?”

 

Marcus’s eyes widened at the offer, especially since she had made it clear to him just yesterday that she didn’t want to change their relationship, and had assumed that she’d want to stray away from any form of intimacy.

 

“I just…I can’t be alone tonight,” Abby whispered.

 

Marcus nodded. “I’ll ask Bellamy to take my shift”.

 

Abby cast him a grateful smile and watched him leave. Moments later Marcus returned. He sat on the edge of her bed, slipping his jacket and boots off. It was just a single side bed, so Marcus had to roll onto his side behind her to squeeze in, his face buried in the back of her hair. Hesitantly, he wrapped one arm around her, the other hand rubbing up and down her side. He felt her squirm at first before sinking back into his embrace. Marcus’s hand slid down her lower back, his hand stopping just when he saw the scar through the thin material of her tank top. His fingers glided over the scar, the lump forming in his throat.

He could still vividly remember the day he had ordered her to be tied up and lashed. The day he had hurt her.

 

Suddenly he felt Abby’s hand on his. She rolled over, a soft smile tracing her lips. She must have sensed the pain in his eyes, because she leaned over and brushed her lips against his jaw.

 

“You’re not that man anymore Marcus Kane,” she whispered.

 

Marcus brushed a few curls away from her eyes. No. He wasn’t that man anymore. He had changed. _She_ had changed him. Ever since he had appointed her Chancellor and watched her flourish, watched her show him a new way of achieving their survival. A way that did not depend on punishment to maintain order, but relied on the peoples’ trust and cooperation. She had reminded him of what it meant to be human, and that sometimes that involved listening to our heart over our head, and reminding ourselves of our morals and ethics that make us human.

 

She had changed him for the better.

 

And in that moment as the realisation washed over him, Marcus Kane had never loved her more. He had the sudden urge to spill all of this to her, to ask her why she was the only one who had never looked at him like a monster.

 

But Abby had fallen asleep.

 

And Marcus Kane had once voted for her husband to die. He had sentenced her daughter into imprisonment.

 

And some sins were unforgivable.

 

So instead Marcus kissed her brow softly, smiling sleepily at her. “Goodnight Abby”.

**Author's Note:**

> Alcohol or sex does not prevent hyperthermia, something I'm sure ABby would know being a doctor. for the sake of this fic however...
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading guys! Please leave me a review with suggestions for future updates. Also, constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. thanks! <3


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